1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handling device and, more particularly, to a handling device ideally suited for computer tape reels, the device being light-weight, inexpensive and fully portable so that a user may easily transport a plurality of tape reels from one place to another. The device is particularly useful in that it can serve as a temporary storage for tape files until they are required, and in combination, the handling device and its load of tape reels occupies no more space than the tape reels themselves.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are existing apparatus and methods for both transporting and/or providing storage for computer tape reels. Most simply, tape reels can be hand-carried, one at a time. Except where only one tape reel is actually needed, this method is relatively inefficient. Generally, most medium to large scale computer installations use several tape units at a time and hence, usually require the simultaneous handling of several tape reels at a time.
Multiple tape reels are often transported from one point to another utilizing hand pushed, wheel mounted carts. This apparatus can handle a large number of tape reels, but is relatively inefficient where only a moderate number of tape reels are required to be transported, and such an apparatus is both relatively expensive and space consuming.
For longer term storage requirements, fully enclosed metal or plastic packages for completely covering individual tape reels are required. For short or intermediate term storage, individual tape reel packages are both relatively expensive and time consuming, as extra handling is concerned to transfer the reel to and from the package. Further, usual computer user practice has been to place such individual tape reel packages, when in storage, in or upon special racks or shelving. These also are relatively expensive and possibly inconvenient for short or intermediate term storage.